Guest Educator Column

Each child is a gift filled with zest, creativity and untapped resources awaiting discovery. All students are gifted and talented and can learn at high levels when presented with complex stimuli in small bites over time. Teaching is an art that is both rewarding and challenging. An outstanding teacher must be committed and also have Read More

When asked what I do, I respond with the same proud smile and say, “I teach 7th grade English.” The responses I receive vary but typically sound something like, “Wow, I could never do that!” I decided I wanted to be a teacher somewhere around 7th grade, largely due to the positive experiences I had Read More

Growing up, I loved playing school. I loved it when my teachers gave me old answer keys or extra copies of Scholastic News. As I got older, I knew I wanted to work with kids, but teaching didn’t interest me. I worried that I’d be a glorified babysitter, that I wouldn’t feel like I was challenging Read More

It was supposed to be a day of peer editing, when my advanced journalism students provide thoughtful, in-depth feedback on their classmates’ first drafts. I love these days, when students become teachers and learning flourishes for both writer and editor. But on this particular morning only eight of my 19 students had submitted stories; only Read More

This morning marked day 11 of this teacher’s winter break, but it was day one for my quiet staycation at home after hectic holiday plans and a flooded basement. After a relaxing soak in the bathtub, I opened my computer to social media. When I opened my newsfeed, I noticed a story posted by a Read More

The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice. ~ Brian Herbert My husband and I love to travel. We celebrated our 30th anniversary with a trip to Oregon. We prepared by poring over maps, guide books, websites, and re-tracing our steps from Read More